Every house as urbane as ours requires a library. Thus, we recently invested in one.

It is, appropriately, lined with hundreds of books for a diversity of reading inclinations — from “Moby Dick” to “Gone Girl” to “Rick Steves’ Berlin” to “Book of Common Prayer” to “Julia Childs’ Way to Cook,” which might actually get put to use were it situated in the kitchen.

This lofty space also shelters family heirlooms, such as Bradford Exchange Beatles plates, a meteorite that’s probably not really a meteorite, ceramic figurines crafted by various former children including me, and an assortment of atta-boy trophies acquired by my husband over the years.

All that’s missing is the sweet aroma of pipe tobacco, a bearskin rug and a crackling fire (good thing, what with no fireplace).

I love every Ian McEwan book but “Saturday.” Don’t love that one at all. Still, it’s Ian McEwan.

“The Omnivore’s Dilemma” — that was interesting. Now it’s just taking up space, never to be re-appreciated. So be it.

Some of the books were lent to me 20 years ago, and I mean to return them. Any day now.

Many, I’ve never even read, like “You Can’t Go Home Again.” Any day now.

Long opus short, I managed to compress just about every preexisting piece of literature into my new piece of furniture. I accomplished this feat by doubling up on half the shelves — stacking one row of books in front of another.

Luckily, I don’t often expand my library anymore. Instead, I check out books at other libraries — the public ones, tangible proof of tax money well spent.

If I do get the urge to purchase a hot-off-the-press hardback, it might just be time for “Rogers’ Rules for Success” to step aside, signed though it is.

Regardless, my dusty old books are now a little less dusty — and my office a lot more attractive.

After majoring in journalism at the University of Texas, Susan Christian Goulding got her start as a copy editor and reporter at the (late, great) Los Angeles Herald Examiner. She then worked at the (late, great) Santa Monica Outlook and the Daily Breeze as a features editor, writer and columnist. She moved to the Orange County bureau of the Los Angeles Times as a features and business writer. After that five-year stint, she worked as a correspondent for People magazine and a regular freelancer for Readers Digest while raising her two kids, Erin and Matt. During this time, she also wrote a weekly column for the Daily Breeze. Next, she gave up all possibility of free time and earned a teaching credential and masters at UCI. She taught English for four often rewarding and always challenging years in Compton, then at LMU and El Camino College. Missing journalism, Goulding circled back to her original career last year, joining the Orange County Register as a reporter. She also enjoys her return to column writing for the newspaper's OC Home magazine.